Sunday, January 31, 2010

Solid Grid

On Friday, the Lake started freezing solid, creating giant plates that collided with each other in the mild swells.
Then it snowed on Saturday, just lightly, lots of big, slow, fluffy, crystal-y flakes, covering the whole surface of plates with a clean frosting. So it looks like a solid plain of white now.

Friday, January 29, 2010

ice-Pads

I thought of the title first, and then realized that it was a pun on the new Apple ipad. But really, I think these look like little lily pads made of ice, don't you?

Moon Shine

A little bonus as I was leaving the office at 5:30 yesterday.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Light! More Light!

And cold! More cold! But at least it's beautiful. And not depressing.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Back to Beauty

Sun's back! Cold, crisp, and lovely.
I like the way the open water ripples between the icy parts.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Nothing to See Here

Today was just as gloomy as all the others recently, but also cold. So you can just look at this picture again. Maybe by tomorrow there will be some ice to look at on the surface. Or maybe the sun will appear. Or maybe we are destined to be cold and gray forevermore.

Monday, January 25, 2010

What Is That Bright Shiny Thing Up There?

Later on, for a few brief shining moments, the sun decided to come out. For the first time in days. And only for a few minutes. And now, tonight, it snowed a bit. And it's only January. I don't mind cold as much as sunless dread. I'll take a sunny crisp 0 degree day before 40 degree gray anytime.

New Way to See Gray

The dull gray weather demanded a change of venue. This is a long view of the harbor.
And the short view, complete with Canada Geese. I just missed getting them in flight.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Grim

This captures the day pretty well. Dull, dark, grim.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Rosy Horizon

There was a hint of pink/peach/orange at the horizon well after the sun had risen. This photo was taken just before 9am. The clouds must have been arranged just so for this to happen. The rushing, roiling waves continued, loudly, for a second day.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Striking

I know I keep taking this same view, but look at it! Yesterday it was still and clear, today it is crazy with energy and the clouds are billowing. The sheen from the sun contrasts with the foamy waves.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Waxing

I cannot get enough of these ice cliffs. They look different every day, depending on the temperature, the strength of the waves, the sun. From early this morning.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Cloud twists

Oddly decent photo from my office window. Late afternoon today.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Here's Huron

Photo of Lake Huron taken from the bridge crossing from Canada into Michigan. From August 2008. Just need Ontario and we have all five...

Saturday, January 16, 2010

....merrychristmaslakeerie.....

It's Great Lakes extended family weekend! Taken from the car in Cleveland on Christmas day. Look carefully. There's water. Really.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Lake Superior Superiority

Check out this amazing post by James Fallows of the Atlantic Magazine: Sunrise over Lake Superior.
Really beautiful.

More Cliffs

Gray this time. We are having a thaw, and everything is misty and gray today.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Ice Cliffs and Ice Floats

Here are the "cliffs" formed by the piled up snow from last week, built up by splashing, freezing waves. The "cliffs" is in quotes because they are probably only 3-4 feet high.
And here is the sheen of newly forming ice, which will melt as the sun rises and the air warms up.

Dull to Dazzling

This is from Tuesday morning. It was quiet and gray, and this flock of geese was clustered near some forming ice.
And there are from Tuesday afternoon. Beautiful colors reflected by the setting sun.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Striped Icebergs in Lake Michigan?

Ha ha! Since I installed a sitemeter, I can find out where my blog readers are coming from, and lately, a surprising number are coming from googling "Striped icebergs Lake Michigan." This is because of a hoax e-mail going around claiming that the icebergs pictured above have been found In Lake Michigan.

A quick look at Snopes reveals that the icebergs are real, but they are NOT, I repeat, NOT in Lake Michigan. It doesn't get cold enough, folks. Yes, we have "icebergs" but not that size or that white. We here at LakeMichiblog love ice on the lake, and we'll be sure to report seeing anything this size as soon as it appears!

February 3, 2011 update: Welcome googlers! Apparently the hoax e-mail is being recirculated this year as I have been getting 100 or so hits every day on this post. Remember, when in doubt about any e-mail you receive, always run it through Snopes.com. And since you are here, why not look around at the rest of the pretty pictures of Lake Michigan? Thanks for stopping by!

February 21, 2011 update: I found an interesting explanation of how icebergs are formed. It makes it very clear this could not happen in any Great Lake. Enjoy!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Ice Puddles

The water was trying to turn into ice this morning, and the surface looked the way a parking lot looks after a rainfall.
See? The close-up shows it more clearly.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Aftermath

Well, we did get a fair amount of snow (6-8 inches, depending on where you are measuring.) See how it piles up along the shore into "cliffs." Close-up below. Cool cloud-light interaction too.

White out!

I'm so happy I finally got shots where you can SEE the falling snow!
Yesterday was a snow day from local schools. You can barely see the water here.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Bracing

Nine inches of snow predicted. I'll believe it when I see it. In the meantime, it was a gloomy day.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Wintery

It's a shame to post today and demote yesterday's beautiful shot, but this does capture the weather quite well. It's COLD out there!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Zig Zags and Wisps

I love the cloud-filter on the sun, the zigzag pattern caused by the waves, and the smoky, wispy clouds on the horizon this morning.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Icy Monoliths

These are leftover pylons (if that is the right word) from long ago dismantled boat launches or fishing piers. The air is so cold that the splashing waves are making them into domes of ice. That sky is not bad either.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Windy New Year

Lots of waves, plus big sky for New Year's Day.